Pete Alonso proves his worth again with 3 RBIs in Orioles’ win vs. Rays

It may come as consolation, but there can be no arguing that Pete Alonso has held his end of the bargain during his first season in Baltimore — and two plays, mere minutes apart, are emblematic of how that came to be.

The first was the sort of swing that was promised to be seen at Camden Yards for years when the Orioles signed Alonso to a five-year, $155 million contract over the winter. He belted a go-ahead two-run home run in the fifth inning off Tampa Bay Rays right-hander Freddy Peralta.

And in the top of the sixth inning, with speedster Chandler Simpson at the plate, Alonso showed a characteristic that has enabled him to become a star. He’s not worried about how something looks, so long as he makes the play. So he ranged to his right, then chugged toward first base and dove to tag the bag with his glove for the out right before Simpson arrived.

Glamorous or not — a casual home run trot or a dirt-covered dive — Alonso does it all for Baltimore.

He was the centerpiece of the Orioles’ 5-3 victory over the Rays on Friday, which snapped a four-game losing streak and began another American League East matchup with a better taste than this week’s sweep delivered by the New York Yankees.

The Orioles leaned on a quality start from left-hander Trevor Rogers, received a bit of good fortune on a check-swing call that went in Jackson Holliday’s favor and prompted Rays manager Kevin Cash’s ejection, and they continued a strong run against the Rays. Baltimore (62-67) has beaten Tampa Bay (76-52) in seven of the last eight games between the clubs.

Within the first two pitches from Peralta, the Orioles took the lead. Holliday doubled to begin the game, and Alonso drove an RBI single on Peralta’s next pitch.

Rogers, who otherwise was stoic through seven innings, ran into his only real trouble in the second inning.

The Rays scored three runs off him, with the first coming when Junior Caminero doubled and Simpson singled. Then Kenny Piper, a 28-year-old playing his second major league game, demolished a middle-middle fastball from Rogers for a two-run homer.

Apart from that, Rogers settled in. And he soon had a lead once more.

Dylan Beavers cut into the deficit by hitting his third home run in three games, and Peralta conceded three runs in the fifth. Alonso’s two-run homer was the largest blow, but Cash had reason to complain — and earned his ejection for it.

Holliday tried to stop his swing on an outside changeup. Had he gone, it would’ve been strike three. Holliday, in fact, thought he went around. He turned around and began walking to the dugout before he turned back because third-base umpire Dillon Wilson said he hadn’t offered.

Cash disagreed with that assessment and gave Wilson an earful. It proved costly. Holliday lifted the next pitch for a sacrifice fly, and then Alonso delivered the decisive blow.

There is no knowing how the rest of Alonso’s contract will play out. But in his seven full seasons, excluding the shortened 2020 season, he has powered at least 30 homers. He has been a consistent, steady force in the majors. And while this Orioles season may not lead into October, Alonso, at least, is a reason to watch.